Image recording device, method of controlling image recording device, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium therefor

ABSTRACT

An image recording device comprises a conveyance mechanism, a head, a sensor configured to detect a position of an orthogonal edge of recording medium in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction, and a controller. The controller tentatively determines, for each of a plurality of unit areas aligned in the conveyance direction on the recording medium, a recording position of an image for the unit area based on image data and a size of the recording medium, derives a correction amount for the tentatively determined recording position, and determines whether the correction amount exceeds a first upper limit for each unit area. When it is determined that the correction amount does not exceed the first upper limit, the controller determines the recording position based on the correction amount, and causes the head to record an image at the recording position determined in the determining.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from JapanesePatent Application No. 2021-056689 filed on Mar. 30, 2021. The entiresubject matter of the application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosures relate to an image recording device configuredto record images on a recording medium, a method of controlling theimage recording device, and a non-transitory computer-readable recordingmedium for such an image recording device.

There has been known a technique of correcting for sheet skew by makinga side edge (i.e., an orthogonal direction edge) of a sheet (i.e., arecording medium) in contact with a reference member. By performing skewcorrection in this way, misalignment in the orthogonal direction of animage recorded on the sheet can be suppressed.

When skew correction is performed only at a leading end portion of thesheet, for example, an effect of skew becomes greater at a trailing endportion of the sheet, and it may become difficult to suppress orthogonalmisalignment of the image. This problem is especially pronounced whenthe sheet is long, making it difficult to control orthogonalmisalignment of the image.

SUMMARY

According to aspects of the present disclosure, an image recordingdevice, comprises a conveyance mechanism configured to convey arecording medium in a conveyance direction, a head configured to recordan image onto the recording medium, a sensor configured to detect aposition of an orthogonal edge that is an edge of the recording mediumin a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and a controller.The controller can tentatively determine, for each of a plurality ofunit areas aligned in the conveyance direction on the recording medium,a recording position of an image recorded by the head for the unit areabased on image data and a size of the recording medium, derive acorrection amount for the tentatively determined recording position inthe orthogonal direction for each unit area based on the edge positiondetected by the sensor, and determines whether the correction amountexceeds a first upper limit for each unit area. When it is determined,in the determining, that the correction amount does not exceed the firstupper limit, the controller can determine the recording position basedon the correction amount as a recording position for the unit area, andcauses the head to record an image, for each unit area, at the recordingposition determined in the determining.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a printer according to a first embodiment ofthe present disclosures.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the printer shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a bock diagram of an electrical configuration of the printershown in FIG. 1 .

FIGS. 4A and 4B show a flowchart illustrating a program to be executedby a CPU of the printer in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 5 schematically shows a diagram illustrating a state in which arecording position of each scanning operation is corrected based on aside edge position of a tip portion of a sheet.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a diagram illustrating a state in which therecording position of each scanning operation is corrected based on theside edge portion of the tip portion of the sheet.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are a flowchart illustrating a program executed by theCPU of the printer according to a second embodiment.

FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C are a flowchart illustrating a program executed bythe CPU of the printer according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 9 schematically shows a diagram illustrating a state in whichscanning areas partially overlap each other.

FIG. 10 schematically shows a diagram illustrating a state in whichrecording positions of each scanning operation is corrected based on theside edge position of the sheet for each of the plurality of scanningoperations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment

First, referring to FIG. 1 , an overall configuration of a printer 100(i.e., an image recording device) according to a first embodiment of thepresent disclosures will be described.

The printer 100 includes a housing 100 a, a sheet feed tray 1, aconveyance mechanism 3, a cutter mechanism 4, a head unit 5, a platen 6,a sheet discharge tray 8, and a controller 10.

The sheet feed tray 1 corresponds to the “tray” according to the presentdisclosures, has a box shape that opens upward, and is detachablyattached to a lower part of the housing 100 a. The sheet discharge tray8 is constituted by an upper wall of the housing 100 a, and can beopened and closed with respect to the housing 100 a.

The sheet feed tray 1 is configured to accommodate a sheet roll R (rollbody). The sheet roll R has a sheet P (i.e., a recording medium) that iswound around an outer circumference of a cylindrical core member Re inthe form of a roll. The sheet roll R is housed in the sheet feed tray 1with its rotation axis Rx (a central axis of the core member Re) along ascanning direction, and is supported by two rollers 11, 12.

The conveyance mechanism 3 includes a feed roller 3 a, an intermediateroller pair 3 b, a conveyance roller pair 3 c, a sheet discharge rollerpair 3 d, and guides 3 g 1 and 3 g 2.

The feed roller 3 a is axially supported by a tip end of the arm 3 y.The arm 3 y is freely supported by the support shaft 3 x, and the feedroller 3 a is attached to the bottom of the sheet feed tray 1. The feedroller 3 a is a driving roller that is rotated by a driving force of aconveyance motor 3 m (see FIG. 3 ). The intermediate roller pair 3 b,the conveyance roller pair 3 c, and the sheet discharge roller pair 3 deach includes a driving roller that is rotated by the drive of theconveyance motor 3 m and a driven roller that accompanies the drivingroller.

When the conveyance motor 3 m (see FIG. 3 ) is driven by the controller10 and the feed roller 3 a rotates, the sheet roll R rotates in an arrowdirection B as shown in FIG. 1 , and the sheet P unwound from the sheetroll R is fed toward the intermediate roller pair 3 b. Then, theintermediate roller pair 3 b, the conveyance roller pair 3 c, and thesheet discharge roller pair 3 d rotate while holding the sheet P, andthe sheet P is transported along the conveyance path C in a conveyancedirection A.

The guide 3 g 1 is disposed between the feed roller 3 a and theintermediate roller pair 3 b in the conveyance path C. and guides thesheet P fed by the feed roller 3 a to the intermediate roller pair 3 b.The guide 3 g 1 is constituted by the side walls of the sheet feed tray1.

The guide 3 g 2 is disposed between the intermediate roller pair 3 b andthe conveyance roller pair 3 c in the conveyance path C. and guides thesheet P transported by the intermediate roller pair 3 b to theconveyance roller pair 3 e. The guide 3 g 2 is constituted by a pair ofplate-like members arranged so as to sandwich the conveyance path C.

The cutter mechanism 4 includes a pair of rotating blades arrangedacross the conveyance path C. When the cutter motor 4 m (see FIG. 3 ) isdriven under the control of the controller 10, the pair of rotatingblades rotate and the sheet P unwound from the sheet roll R is cut.

The head unit 5 is located between the conveyance roller pair 3 c andthe sheet discharge roller pair 3 d in the conveyance path C, andincludes a head 51 and a carriage 52 that holds the head 51.

The platen 6 is located between the conveyance roller pair 3 c and thesheet discharge roller pair 3 d in the conveyance path C, and below thehead unit 5.

The head 51 and the carriage 52 can be moved in the scanning direction(i.e., an “orthogonal direction” orthogonal to the conveyance directionA) by the moving mechanism 7 (see FIG. 2 ). The moving mechanism 7includes a pair of guides 7 a and 7 b supporting the carriage 52, and abelt 7 c connected to the carriage 52. When the carriage motor 7 m (seeFIG. 3 ) is driven under the control of the controller 10, the belt 7 cruns, and the carriage 52 moves along the guides 7 a and 7 b in thescanning direction.

Multiple nozzles N are formed on a lower surface of the head 51. Whenthe sheet P conveyed by the conveyance mechanism 3 passes below the head51 while being supported by the platen 6, the driver IC 5 m (see FIG. 3) is driven under the control of the controller 10, ink is ejected fromthe nozzles N and an image is recorded on the sheet P.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the controller 10 has a CPU (Central ProcessingUnit) 10 a, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 10 b, and a RAM (Random AccessMemory) 10 c. The ROM 10 b stores programs and data for the CPU 10 a tocontrol various operations. The RAM 10 c temporarily stores data used byCPU 10 a in executing the program. The CPU 10 a performs recording andother operations in accordance with the program and based on data storedin the ROM 10 b and the RAM 10 c, and based on data received from anexternal device (such as PC 20 shown in FIG. 3 ). The CPU 10 acorresponds to a “controller” according to aspects of the presentdisclosures.

In the recording process, the CPU 10 a drives the conveyance motor 3 m,the cutter motor 4 m, the carriage motor 7 m, and the driver IC 5 m inaccordance with recording commands (including image data) received fromthe PC 20, and the like, to cut the sheet P unwound from the sheet rollR to a particular length. The CPU 10 a further executes a conveyingoperation to convey the sheet P by a particular amount in a conveyancedirection A and a scanning operation to cause the ink to be ejected fromthe nozzles N to the sheet P while moving the head 51 in the scanningdirection, alternately. As a result, ink dots are formed on the sheet P,thereby an image being recorded. The sheet P on which the image has beenrecorded is received by the sheet discharge tray 8, which is open to thehousing 100 a.

The controller 10 is electrically connected to a display 9 (i.e., aninforming unit) of the printer 100, and notifies information to the userof the printer 100 through the display 9.

A sensor 5 s is attached to the carriage 52 to detect a position of aside edge (i.e., a position of an end of the scanning direction) of thesheet P, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . The sensor 5 s is arranged on oneside, in the scanning direction, with respect to the head 51, as shownin FIG. 2 . The sensor 5 s is arranged upstream of the conveyancedirection A with respect to the plurality of nozzles N. The sensor 5 sis a light-reflective sensor having a light-emitting part and alight-receiving part, wherein the light-emitting part irradiates lightdownward and the light-receiving part receives the light reflected fromeither the platen 6 or the sheet P. The data indicating the amount ofreflected light received by the light-receiving part is transmitted tothe controller 10. In the controller 10, the CPU 10 a can detect aposition of the side edge of a portion of the sheet P facing the sensor5 s by comparing the data received from the sensor 5 s while thecarriage 52 moves in the scanning direction with the data indicating theamount of light reflected from the platen 6 and the amount of lightreflected from the sheet P stored in the ROM 10 b.

Next, the program executed by the CPU 10 a will be described.

The CPU 10 a first determines whether or not a recording command hasbeen received from the PC 20 or the like (S1), as shown in FIGS. 4A and4B. When it is determined that the recording command has not beenreceived (S1: NO), the CPU 10 a repeats the process of S1.

When it is determined that a recording command has been received (S1:YES), the CPU 10 a tentatively determines the recording position foreach scanning operation based on the image data of the recording commandand the size of the sheet P (S2: tentative determination process). Asshown in FIG. 5 , an n-th scanning operation (n=1 to N) is sequentiallyexecuted for each of the scanning areas Pn (n=1 to N) of the sheet P.Each of the scanning areas Pn (n=1 to N) is a strip-like area extendingin the orthogonal direction and aligned in the conveyance direction A.In this embodiment, one scanning area Pn corresponds to a “unit area”according to the present disclosures. The recording position includes arecording start position and a recording end position for each scanningarea Pn, and the recording position is defined by a movement speed ofthe carriage 52 and a driving timing of the driver IC 5 m. In S2, therecording position is determined on assumption that the sheet P is at aparticular position in the orthogonal direction and that the side edgePx of the sheet P is parallel to the conveyance direction A.

After S2, the CPU 10 a causes the conveyance mechanism 3 to convey thesheet P to a position where a leading edge of the sheet P (i.e., adownstream end of the sheet P in the conveyance direction A) faces thesensor 5 s. Then, the CPU 10 a moves the carriage 52 in the scanningdirection with the sheet P being stayed at that position, and detects aposition of the side edge Px of a leading edge of the sheet P based onthe data received from the sensor 5 s while the carriage 52 is moving(S3).

After execution of S3, the CPU 10 a corrects the recording position ofwhich for the scanning operation is the position tentatively determinedin S2 in the orthogonal direction based on a position of the side edgePx detected in S2. Concretely, the CPU 10 a corrects the recordingposition such that the center of each scanning area Pn in the orthogonaldirection and the center the tip of sheet P in the orthogonal directionof are corrected to match. As a result, the center of the tip of sheet Pis corrected to be the same as the center of the tip of sheet P suchthat the length L1 (see FIG. 5 ) in the orthogonal direction of marginareas on both sides of the orthogonal direction for scanning area P1will be the same as each other even when they are shifted from theparticular position in the orthogonal direction. However, withcorrection of S4 alone, if the sheet P is skewed (i.e., the side edge Pxof the sheet P is not parallel to the conveyance direction A but isinclined to the conveyance direction A) as shown in FIG. 5 , thedifference in the orthogonal length of the margin areas on both sides ofthe orthogonal direction to the scanning area Pn becomes larger on therear side of the sheet P (upstream of the conveyance direction A). Thedifference in the orthogonal length of the margin areas on both sides ofthe orthogonal direction to the scanning area Pn becomes larger on therear edge of the sheet P (upstream of the conveyance direction A), andorthogonal misalignment of the image may become a problem. Therefore, inthis embodiment, S10 and other steps described below are performed.

After execution of S4, the CPU 10 a sets n to one (i.e., n=1) (S5).

After execution of S5, the CPU 10 a determines whether or not n is equalto N (i.e., n=N) (i.e., whether or not the scanning operation is thefinal scanning operation) (S6).

When n is not equal to N (S6: NO), the CPU 10 a determines whether thelength L, in the orthogonal direction, of the margin area in the n+1scanning operation exceeds the particular length Lx, based on the imagedata (S7: fifth determination process).

When the length L, in the orthogonal direction, of the margin area doesnot exceed the particular length Lx (S7: NO), the CPU 10 a determineswhether or not the (n+1)-th scanning operation corresponds to an outwardmovement of a “bi-directional recording” (S8). There are two types ofrecording. One is the “bi-directional recording” in which a scanningoperation (i.e., an operation to eject ink from the nozzles N whilemoving the head 51) is performed when the head unit 5 is moved in anoutward (i.e., going-way) direction (along the thick arrow in FIG. 5 )and when it is moved in the inward (i.e., returning-way) direction (inthe opposite direction of the thick arrow in FIG. 5 ). There other is a“one-directional recording” in which the scanning operation is performedwhen the head unit 5 is moved in the outward direction, but notperformed when the head unit 5 is moved in the inward direction (i.e.,the head 51 is moved but the ink is not ejected from the nozzles N). Thechoice between “bi-directional recording” and “one-directionalrecording” is determined in advance based on the image resolution andrecording speed. In this embodiment, the “bi-directional recording” isassumed to be performed.

When the (n+1)-th scanning operation corresponds to the outward movementof the “bi-directional recording” (S8: YES), the CPU 10 a executes then-th scanning operation for the scanning area Pn and detects theposition of the side edge Px of the sheet P based on the data receivedfrom the sensor 5 s while the carriage 52 moves in the scanningdirection in the n-th scanning operation (S9).

After execution of S9, the CPU 10 a derives a correction amount C, inthe orthogonal direction, of the recording position corrected in S4 forthe (n+1)-th scanning operation based on the position of the side edgePx of the sheet P detected in S9 (S10: a correction amount derivationprocess). Concretely, the correction amount C is derived so that thecenter, in the orthogonal direction, of the scanning area Pn+1 matchesthe center, in the orthogonal direction, of the sheet P (i.e., a partcorresponding to the scanning area Pn where the side edge Px wasdetected in S9). As a result, the lengths L2 (see FIG. 6 ), in theorthogonal direction, of the margin areas on both sides with respect tothe scanning area Pn+1 become the same. In other words, by executingS10, the orthogonal misalignment of the image can be suppressed evenwhen the sheet P is skewed (i.e., the side edge Px of the sheet P is notparallel to the conveyance direction A, but is inclined to theconveyance direction A) as shown in FIG. 6 .

After execution of S10, the CPU 10 a determines whether or not thecorrection amount C derived in S10 exceeds a first upper limit amount C1(S11: a first determination process).

When the correction amount C does not exceed the first upper limitamount C1 (S11: NO), the CPU 10 a determines the recording positionbased on the correction amount C as the recording position for the(n+1)-th scanning operation (i.e., a scanning operation for the scanningarea Pn+1) (S12: a decision process).

After execution of S12, the CPU 10 a sets n to “n+1” (S13) and returnsthe process to S6.

When the length L, in the orthogonal direction, of the margin areaexceeds the particular length Lx (S7: YES) or when the (n+1)-th scanningoperation does not correspond to the outward movement of the“bi-directional recording” (i.e., when the (n+1)-th scanning operationcorresponds to the backward movement) (S8: NO), the CPU 10 a executesthe n-th scanning operation for the scanning area Pn without executingS9 or S10 (S14).

When the correction amount C exceeds the first upper limit amount C1(S11: YES), the CPU 10 a stores an excess amount of the correctionamount C that exceeds the first upper limit amount C1 in the RAM 10 c(S15). The excess amount is added to the correction amount for an(n+2)-th scanning operation (i.e., a scanning operation for the scanningarea Pn+2 that is adjacent to the scanning area Pn+1 on an upstream sidein the conveyance direction A).

After execution of S15, the CPU 10 a determines whether or not thecorrection amount C exceeds a second upper limit amount C2 (which isgreater than the first upper limit amount C1) (S16: a seconddetermination process).

When the correction amount C does not exceed the second upper limitamount C2 (S16: NO), the CPU 10 a moves the process to S12 anddetermines the recording position based on the correction amount C asthe recording position for the (nit 1)-th scanning operation (i.e., thescanning operation for the scanning area Pn+1) (S12: a decisionprocess).

When the correction amount C exceeds the second upper limit amount C2(S16: YES), the CPU 10 a moves the carriage 52 in the scanning directionto detect the position of the side edge Px of the sheet P again (S17),and then moves the process to S10 to derive the correction amount Cagain based on the position of the side edge Px of the sheet P detectedin S17 (S10: a correction amount derivation process).

When n=N (S6: YES), the CPU. 10 a executes the n-th scanning operationfor the scanning area Pn (S18) and terminates the program.

In S9, S14, and S18, which are executed after S6, the scanning operationis executed at the recording position determined in the most recentexecution of S12 (i.e., a recording process).

As described above, according to the present embodiment, aftertentatively determining the recording position for each scanningoperation (S2), the CPU 10 a derives the correction amount C, in theorthogonal direction, of the recording position tentatively determinedin S2 for each scanning area Pn based on the side edge position of thesheet P detected by the sensor 5 s (S10). According to the thus derivedcorrection amount C, the misalignment, in the orthogonal direction, ofthe image recorded on the sheet P can be suppressed even if the sheet Pis skewed. In the case of a large correction amount C that exceeds thefirst upper limit amount C1, the orthogonal misalignment between theimage recorded in the scanning area Pn and the image recorded in thescanning area Pn+1 (the scanning area adjacent to the scanning area Pnin the conveyance direction A) could be large. In this regard, accordingto the present embodiment, such a problem can be suppressed byperforming recording based on the correction amount C when thecorrection amount C does not exceed the first upper limit amount C1(S11: NO).

When the correction amount C exceeds the first upper limit amount C1(S11: YES), the CPU 10 a adds the excess amount of the correction amountC that exceeds the first upper limit amount C1 to the correction amountof the n+2 scanning operation (i.e., a scanning operation for thescanning area Pn+2 that is adjacent to the scanning area Pn+1 on theupstream side in the conveyance direction A) (S15). In this way, theorthogonal misalignment of the image between adjacent scanning areas Pnand the misalignment of the image due to skewing of sheet P can besuppressed in a well-balanced manner.

When the correction amount C exceeds the first upper limit amount C1(S11: YES), the CPU 10 a determines whether the correction amount Cexceeds the second upper limit amount C2 (which is greater than thefirst upper limit amount C1) (S16). When the correction amount C exceedsthe second upper limit amount C2 (S16: YES), the CPU 10 a obtains thedetection result of the position of the side edge Px of the sheet P fromthe sensor 5 s again (S17), and derives the correction amount C againbased on the detection result obtained again (S10). In the case of alarge correction amount C that exceeds the second upper limit amount C2,there is a possibility of false detection by the sensor 5 s. Therefore,in this embodiment, in such a case, the detection result is obtainedfrom the sensor 5 s again and the correction amount is derived, therebyavoiding extreme correction based on false detection.

When the length L, in the orthogonal direction, of the margin area inthe (n+1)-th scanning operation does not exceed the particular length Lx(S7: NO), the CPU 10 a executes the correction amount derivation process(S10), while when the length L, in the orthogonal direction, of themargin area in the (n+1)-th scanning operation exceeds the particularlength Lx (S7: YES), the correction amount derivation process (S10) isnot executed. When the length L, in the orthogonal direction, of themargin area is relatively long, the orthogonal misalignment of the imageis less noticeable and there is less need to correct the recordingposition. Therefore, in this embodiment, by not executing the correctionamount derivation process in such cases, the process can be simplifiedand thus high-speed recording can be achieved.

Before the start of one scanning operation (e.g., the (n−1)-th scanningoperation) and after the start of the previous scanning operation (e.g.,the n-th scanning operation) which was executed before the (n+1)-thscanning operation (S9), the CPU 10 a obtains the detection result ofthe side edge Px of the sheet P from the sensor 5 s and executes thecorrection amount derivation process (S10) for the scanning operation(i.e., the (n+1)-th scanning operation). By executing the correctionamount derivation process for each scanning operation in this way, theorthogonal misalignment of the image can be corrected at a finer pitchin the conveyance direction, and the image quality is improved, comparedto the case where the correction amount derivation process is executedfor each of multiple scanning operations as described in the fifthembodiment below. In addition, by obtaining the detection result of theside edge Px from the sensor 5 s immediately before one scanningoperation and executing the correction amount derivation process, anaccurate correction amount C can be derived. In other words,misalignment in the orthogonal direction of the image can be correctedmore precisely.

In the bi-directional recording, the CPU 10 a executes the correctionamount derivation process in the outward movement (S8: YES: S9: S10) anddoes not execute the correction amount derivation process in the inwardmovement (S8: NO: S14). In this case, compared to the case where thecorrection amount derivation process is executed in both the outward andinward movements, the process is simplified and thus high-speedrecording can be achieved.

The head 51 records an image on the sheet P unwound from a sheet roll R(see FIG. 1 ). In the case of sheet roll R, the length thereof in theconveyance direction A is generally longer than that of the cut sheet.In the case of sheet P with a longer length in the conveyance directionA, the effect of skewing becomes greater at the rear end of the sheet P.and the problem of orthogonal misalignment of the image becomes moreapparent. According to the present embodiment, by executing thecorrection amount derivation process (S10) in such a case, the effect ofsuppressing the orthogonal misalignment of the image can be effectivelyobtained.

Second Embodiment

Next, referring to FIGS. 7A and 7B, a second embodiment of the presentdisclosures will be described.

The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the programexecuted by the CPU 10 a, and is otherwise the same as the firstembodiment.

In the first embodiment, after S15, the CPU 10 a determines whether ornot the correction amount C exceeds the second upper limit amount C2(which is greater than the first upper limit amount C1) (S16). Incontrast, in the present embodiment, after S15, the CPU 10 a determineswhether or not the correction amount C exceeds a third upper limitamount C2 (which is greater than the second upper limit amount C2) (S26:a third determination process).

When the correction amount C does not exceed the third upper limitamount C3 (S26: NO), the CPU 10 a proceeds to S12 and determines therecording position based on the correction amount C as the recordingposition for the (n+1)-th scanning operation (i.e., a scanning operationfor the scanning area Pn+1) (S12).

When the correction amount C exceeds the third upper limit amount C3(S26: YES), the CPU 10 a stops the conveyance of the sheet P by theconveyance mechanism 3 during the recording to the sheet P concerned andbefore the start of the recording to the scanning area n+1 (S27:conveyance stop process). After the execution of S27, the CPU 10 aterminates the program.

When a large correction amount C that exceeds the third upper limitamount C3 is required during recording to in the scanning area n+1 ofthe sheet P, it is concerned that the sheet P is skewed significantly,and a jam of sheet P may occur. Therefore, in this embodiment, in such acase, the sheet P jam can be suppressed by stopping the conveyancebefore the start of recording for the scanning area n+1.

Third Embodiment

Next, referring to FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C, a third embodiment of thepresent disclosures will be described.

The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the programexecuted by the CPU 10 a, and the other parts are the same as the firstembodiment.

In the first embodiment, after S18, the CPU 10 a terminates the program.In contrast, in the present embodiment, after S18, the CPU 10 adetermines whether the cumulative value of the correction amount C(i.e., the cumulative value of the correction amount C of the first to Nscanning operations) exceeds a fourth upper limit amount C4 (S31: fourthdetermination process).

When the accumulated value of the correction amount C does not exceedthe fourth upper limit amount C4 (S31: NO), the CPU 10 a terminates theprogram.

When the accumulated value of the correction amount C exceeds the fourthupper limit amount C4 (S31: YES), the CPU 10 a causes the display 9 (seeFIG. 3 ) to give an error notification (S32: a notification process)after the completion of recording for the sheet P and before the startof recording for the next sheet P. After execution of S32, the CPU 10 aterminates the program.

When the accumulated value of the correction amount C is so large thatit exceeds the fourth upper limit amount C4, a posture of the sheet P inthe sheet feed tray 1 is considered to be a problem. Therefore, in thisembodiment, in such a case, an error message is issued before the startof recording on the next sheet P, to encourage the user to reload thesheet P in the sheet feed tray 1, so that the recording on the nextsheet P can be performed properly.

Fourth Embodiment

Next, referring to FIG. 9 , a fourth embodiment according to the presentdisclosures will be described.

In the first embodiment (FIG. 6 ), the plurality of scanning areas Pn donot overlap each other, but are adjacent to each other in the conveyancedirection A. In contrast, in the present embodiment (FIG. 9 ), theplurality of scanning areas Pn partially overlap each other. Concretely,the conveyance amount between the scanning operations in this embodimentis ⅓ of the conveyance amount between scanning operations in the firstembodiment, and three scanning operations are performed for eachscanning area Pn.

In the case where multiple scanning areas Pn partially overlap eachother, as in this embodiment, by executing the correction amountderivation process for each scanning operation, the orthogonalmisalignment of the image can be effectively suppressed.

Fifth Embodiment

Next, referring to FIG. 10 , a fifth embodiment of the presentdisclosures will be described.

In this embodiment (FIG. 10 ), as in the fourth embodiment (FIG. 9 ),the plurality of scanning areas Pn partially overlap each other. In sucha case, in the fourth embodiment, the correction amount derivationprocess is executed for each scanning operation. In this embodiment,however, the correction amount derivation process is executed for eachplurality of scanning operations (e.g., three scanning operations).

In other words, in the first through fourth embodiments, one scanningarea Pn corresponds to a “unit area” according to aspects of the presentdisclosures, whereas in the present embodiment, three scanning areas Pn(e.g., areas corresponding to three scanning operations such as P1-P3,P4-P6 or the like) correspond to the “unit area” of the presentdisclosures.

According to the present embodiment, by executing the correction amountderivation process for every multiple scanning operations, the processis simplified compared to the case where the correction amountderivation process is executed for each scanning operation as in thefirst to fourth embodiments, and thus the high-speed recording can beachieved. In addition, by obtaining the detection result of the sideedge Px from the sensor 5 s immediately before the plurality of scanningoperations corresponding to the unit area and by executing thecorrection amount derivation process, the correction amount C can beaccurately derived. In other words, the misalignment, in the orthogonaldirection, of the image can be corrected more precisely.

Modifications

Although the embodiments according to the present disclosures aredescribed above, the present disclosures should not be limited to theabove-mentioned embodiments, and various design changes are possiblewithout departing from aspects of the present disclosures.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the correction amount is derivedbased on the center, in the orthogonal direction, of the sheet in thecorrection amount derivation process (i.e., the correction amount isderived so that the center, in the orthogonal direction, of the unitarea and the center, in the orthogonal direction, of the sheetcoincide), but such a configuration is not necessarily limited to this.For example, the correction amount may be derived based on theorthogonal edge (e.g., a side edge) of the sheet (i.e., the correctionamount may be derived so that a margin area of a particular length isprovided between the orthogonal edge of the unit area and the side edgeof the sheet).

There is no need to provide a margin area. In other words, the presentdisclosures can be applied to so-called “borderless recording.”

In the above embodiment, the scanning area (unit area) adjacent to theupstream side of the conveyance direction is illustrated as the targetfor adding the excess amount, but the configuration is not necessarilylimited to this. For example, the unit area adjacent to the downstreamside of the transfer direction may be used as the target for adding theexcess amount.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the correction amount derivationprocess (S10) is executed based on the recording position of eachscanning operation corrected in S4, but the configuration is notnecessarily limited to this. For example, S3 and S4 may be omitted, andthe correction amount derivation process (S10) may be performed based onthe recording position tentatively determined in S2. Alternatively, thecorrection amount derivation process (S10) may be performed based on therecording position of the unit area adjacent to the unit area in theconveyance direction.

Before the first scanning operation, the correction amount derivationprocess (S3, S4) and the first decision process, and the like, may beexecuted.

In the third embodiment, the cumulative value of the correction amount Cis illustrated as the “correction amount for multiple unit areas on onerecording medium,” but the correction amount is not necessarily limitedto this. For example, the correction amount may be the differencebetween the correction amount for the first scanning operation and thecorrection amount for the N-th (i.e., the final) scanning operation.

In the case where the correction amount derivation process is executedfor every multiple scanning operations as in the fifth embodiment (i.e.,when the plurality of scanning areas Pn corresponds to the “unit area”of the present disclosures), the conveyance amount between the pluralityof scanning areas Pn included in the unit area may or may not beconstant.

In the bi-directional recording, the correction amount derivationprocess may be performed in both outward and inward movements. Inaddition, although the above embodiments are based on the assumptionthat bi-directional recording is performed, aspects of the presentdisclosures can also be applied to the one-directional recording.

The sensors are not necessarily limited to light-reflective sensors, butcan also be light-transmissive sensors, image sensors, and the like.

The recording medium is not necessarily limited to be accommodated as awound roll, but may be accommodated as a plurality of cut mediaseparated from each other. The recording medium is not necessarilylimited to a sheet, and may be, for example, cloth, resin material, orthe like.

The head is not necessarily limited to one of the serial type, but canalso be of a line type. When the head is of the line type, the recordingposition is defined by selecting the nozzle that ejects ink from amongthe plurality of nozzles contained in the head.

The head may be configured to eject a liquid other than ink (e.g., aprocessing liquid that coagulates or precipitates the components in theink). The head is not necessarily limited to one employing the liquidejection method, but may also be one employing a laser method, thermaltransfer method, or the like.

Aspects of the present disclosures should not be limited to printers,but can also be applied to facsimiles, copiers, multifunction devices,and the like.

The program can be distributed by recording the same on removablerecording media such as flexible disks or fixed recording media such ashard disks, or by transmitting the same via communication lines.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image recording device, comprising: aconveyance mechanism configured to convey a recording medium in aconveyance direction; a head configured to record an image onto therecording medium; a sensor configured to detect a position of anorthogonal edge that is an edge of the recording medium in a directionorthogonal to the conveyance direction; and a controller, wherein thecontroller is configured to perform: first deciding, for each of aplurality of unit areas aligned in the conveyance direction on therecording medium, a tentative recording position of an image recorded bythe head for the unit area based on image data and a size of therecording medium; deriving a correction amount for the tentativerecording position in the orthogonal direction for each unit area basedon the edge position detected by the sensor; first determining whetherthe correction amount exceeds a first upper limit for each unit area;second deciding the tentative recording position based on the correctionamount as a recording position for the unit area when it is determined,in the first determining, that the correction amount does not exceed thefirst upper limit; and causing the head to record an image, for eachunit area, at the recording position decided in the second deciding. 2.The image recording device according to claim 1, wherein, when it isdetermined in the first determining that the correction amount exceedsthe first upper limit, the controller is configured to add an excessamount to a correction amount for a unit area, among the plurality ofunit areas, adjacent to the unit area in the conveyance direction, theexcess amount being an amount of the correction amount exceeding thefirst upper limit.
 3. The image recording device according to claim 1,wherein the controller is further configured to perform: when it isdetermined, in the first determining, that the correction amount exceedsthe first upper limit, second determining whether the correction amountexceeds a second upper limit which is greater than the first upperlimit; and when it is determined, in the second determining, that thecorrection amount exceeds the second upper limit, obtaining again adetection result of the position of the orthogonal edge for the unitarea from the sensor, and deriving again the correction amount based onthe detection result.
 4. The image recording device according to claim1, wherein the controller is further configured to perform: when it isdetermined, in the first determining, that the correction amount exceedsthe first upper limit, second determining whether the correction amountexceeds a second upper limit which is greater than the first upperlimit; and when it is determined, in the second determining, that thecorrection amount exceeds the second upper limit, stopping conveyance ofthe recording medium by the conveyance mechanism during recording on therecording medium and before starting recording on the unit area.
 5. Theimage recording device according to claim 1, further comprising anotification device configured to issue a notification to a user,wherein the controller is further configured to perform: seconddetermining whether the correction amount for the plurality of unitareas of one recording medium exceeds a second upper limit; and wherein,when it is determined, in the second determining, that the correctionamount for the plurality of unit areas of one recording medium exceedsthe second upper limit, causing the notification device to issue anerror notification after completing recording on the recording mediumand before starting recording on a next recording medium.
 6. The imagerecording device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is furtherconfigured to perform: second determining whether a length, in theorthogonal direction, of a marginal area of the recording medium exceedsa particular length based on the image data; when it is determined, inthe second determining, that the length, in the orthogonal direction, ofthe marginal area does not exceed the particular length, perform thesecond deciding; and when it is determined, in the second determining,that the length, in the orthogonal direction, of the marginal areaexceeds the particular length, not perform the second deciding.
 7. Theimage recording device according to claim 1, further comprising a movingmechanism configured to move the head in the orthogonal direction,wherein the controller is further configured to alternately perform aconveyance operation and a scanning operation, the conveyance operationbeing an operation in which the controller causes the conveyancemechanism to convey the recording medium by a particular amount in theconveyance direction, and the scanning operation being an operation inwhich the controller causes the moving mechanism to move the head in theorthogonal direction while causing the head to record an image, whereinthe unit area is an area corresponding to one scanning operation, andwherein the controller is configured to: obtain a detection result ofthe position of the orthogonal edge from the sensor before execution ofthe one scanning operation and after starting a scanning operationbefore the one scanning operation; and perform the deriving a correctionamount regarding the scanning operation.
 8. The image recording deviceaccording to claim 7, wherein, when a bi-directional recording in whichthe scanning operation is performed when the head is moved both inwardand outward in the orthogonal direction, the controller is configuredto: perform the deriving when the head is moved outward; and not performthe deriving when the head is moved inward.
 9. The image recordingdevice according to claim 1, further comprising a moving mechanismconfigured to move the head in the orthogonal direction, wherein thecontroller is configured to alternately perform a conveyance operationand a scanning operation, the conveyance operation being an operation inwhich the controller causes the conveyance mechanism to convey therecording medium by a particular amount in the conveyance direction, andthe scanning operation being an operation in which the controller causesthe moving mechanism to move the head in the orthogonal direction whilecausing the head to record an image, wherein the unit area is an areacorresponding to multiple scanning operations, wherein the controller isconfigured to: obtain a detection result of the position of theorthogonal edge from the sensor before execution of the multiplescanning operations and after starting a scanning operation before themultiple scanning operations; and perform the deriving a correctionamount regarding the scanning operation.
 10. The image recording deviceaccording to claim 1, further comprising a tray configured toaccommodate a roll body having a roll-wound sheet-like recording medium,wherein the conveyance mechanism is configured to convey the sheet-likerecording medium unwound from the roll body, and wherein the head isconfigured to record an image on the sheet-like recording medium unwoundfrom the roll body.
 11. The image recording device according to claim 1,wherein the tentative recording position is a position of the head inthe orthogonal direction with respect to the conveyance mechanism.
 12. Amethod of controlling an image recording device provided with aconveyance mechanism configured to convey a recording medium in aconveyance direction, a head configured to record an image onto therecording medium, and a sensor configured to detect a position of anorthogonal edge that is an edge of the recording medium in a directionorthogonal to the conveyance direction, the method comprising: firstdeciding, for each of a plurality of unit areas aligned in theconveyance direction on the recording medium, a tentative recordingposition of an image recorded by the head for the unit area based onimage data and a size of the recording medium; deriving a correctionamount for the tentative recording position in the orthogonal directionfor each unit area based on the edge position detected by the sensor;first determining whether the correction amount exceeds a first upperlimit for each unit area; second deciding the tentative recordingposition based on the correction amount as a recording position for theunit area when it is determined, in the first determining, that thecorrection amount does not exceed the first upper limit; and causing thehead to record an image, for each unit area, at the recording positiondecided in the second deciding.
 13. A non-transitory computer-readablerecording medium for use with an image recording device provided with aconveyance mechanism configured to convey an image recording medium in aconveyance direction, a head configured to record an image onto theimage recording medium, a sensor configured to detect a position of anorthogonal edge that is an edge of the image recording medium in adirection orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and a controller, thenon-transitory computer-readable recording medium storingcomputer-executable instructions which cause, when executed by thecontroller, the image recording device to perform: first deciding, foreach of a plurality of unit areas aligned in the conveyance direction onthe image recording medium, a tentative recording position of an imagerecorded by the head for the unit area based on image data and a size ofthe image recording medium; deriving a correction amount for thetentative recording position in the orthogonal direction for each unitarea based on the edge position detected by the sensor; firstdetermining whether the correction amount exceeds a first upper limitfor each unit area; second deciding the tentative recording positionbased on the correction amount as a recording position for the unit areawhen it is determined, in the first determining, that the correctionamount does not exceed the first upper limit; and causing the head torecord an image, for each unit area, at the recording position decidedin the second deciding.